Tourism

"One of the most sought after destinations "

Tourism has been identified as a strategic sector for stimulating economic growth and development on St. Kitts. The Government, in collaboration with the private sector, has been investing millions of dollars to develop the tourism sector through infrastructural development and investment in marketing. Tourism, which has experienced significant growth since the closure of the sugar industry in July 2005, and which complements other growth sectors such as financial services, agriculture, offshore education and information technology, is a key contributor to the Gross Domestic Product, foreign exchange earnings and employment generation in the Federation.

Renowned for its natural beauty, its warm, hospitable people and rich history and culture, St. Kitts entices many visitors to its shores. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the cruise sector grew steadily at an impressive rate, surpassing one million cruise passenger arrivals in the 2017/2018 season. This was the first time in the island’s history that cruise arrivals surpassed the million-mile mark, granting it marquee port status by the cruise lines. The country is the only destination in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to achieve this status, typically only enjoyed by much larger islands. In terms of spend, preliminary findings from the FCCA BREA study on the economic impact of cruise tourism for 2017-2018 ranked St. Kitts as having the third highest cruise passenger spend in the Caribbean, behind only Sint Maarten and the British Virgin Islands. This provides significant impact to our economy as cruise passengers spend money for tours, in shops and on dining. Following the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Kitts has seen an increase in cruise calls and inaugurals at Port Zante. We are incredibly proud to celebrate the maiden cruise calls to St. Kitts as they reflect the ongoing expansion of the sector and cruise-line partnerships. The increase in cruise calls to the destination also provides a significant economic boost for industry stakeholders.

Venture Deeper

Explore the rich history and environment of St. Kitts

In terms of hotel development, investments are being made by a significant number of properties to improve the built environment and market their products more vigorously, while new developments are progressing toward completion to increase available room stock across the island. Opened in November 2017, the Park Hyatt St. Kitts is the brand’s first and only property in the Caribbean, elevating the destination’s profile in the public eye. It has earned distinctions such as Best New Caribbean Hotel by CNN Travel and rankings among the Best New Hotels in the World by Town & Country. Recent builds across the island include the luxe, environmentally-friendly Sunset Reef, KOI Resort St. Kitts, and Ramada by Wyndham St. Kitts.

The Government has negotiated with major airlines to ensure that there is convenient airlift from the major source markets of the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom and the Caribbean. Connectivity to the island continues to increase, and airlift and air passenger arrivals are trending up. The launch of direct service on interCaribbean Airways from Barbados is not only going to increase travel from Barbados but also is a key element in rebuilding intra-regional travel to the destination. We have seen the return of American Airlines’ double daily flights on Saturdays, Winair continuing with double daily flights between Sint Maarten and St. Kitts, and LIAT has increased their schedule between Antigua and Barbuda and St. Kitts. There are now five roundtrips a week. Further, we saw the return of weekly Saturday flights on Air Canada (Toronto to St. Kitts) as well as weekly Wednesday and Saturday flights on British Airways (London to St. Kitts).

"St. Kitts consistently ranks highly on international lists of the best vacation and wedding destinations "

St. Kitts has no shortage of activities to engage the interests of every visitor. The St. Kitts Tourism Authority is gearing up for 2023’s “Summer of Fun,” with innovative programming, thrilling sporting events, and a star-studded music festival on the horizon. It will feature the destination’s culture, music and adventure suited for every traveler.

Added to the annual festival schedule is a new initiative—Kittitian RumMaster. Led by two of St. Kitts’ prestigious rum experts, the Kittitian RumMaster program invites travelers to deep-dive into the history of rum and distilling rum, gain hands-on experience in creating spiced rum, and the methodology of creating rum-based cocktails. The immersive experience is designed for rum aficionados and visitors wanting to learn more about the spirit and combines the expertise of proprietors at Spice Mill and Old Road Rum Company.

Caribbean Destination of the Year
    Caribbean Destination of the Year

    2023

    Caribbean Journal’s Caribbean Travel Awards—2023’s Caribbean Destination of the Year

    The Caribbean’s Best Fine Dining Hotel Restaurant
      The Caribbean’s Best Fine Dining Hotel Restaurant

      2022

      World Culinary Awards, Caribbean’s World Culinary Awards—The Caribbean’s Best Fine Dining Hotel Restaurant 2022 (Stone Barn at Park Hyatt St. Kitts Christophe Harbour)

      Caribbean’s Leading Dive Destination
        Caribbean’s Leading Dive Destination

        2022

        World Travel Awards—Caribbean’s Leading Dive Destination 2022

        Best Caribbean Hiking Destination
          Best Caribbean Hiking Destination

          2022

          Caribbean Journal’s Traveler’s Choice Awards 2022—Best Caribbean Hiking Destination

          Adventure Destination
            Adventure Destination

            2022

            Travel Weekly Magellan Awards 2022—Caribbean-Overall Destinations—Adventure Destination

            Top Caribbean Island in the World
              Top Caribbean Island in the World

              2022

              Conde Nast Traveler 2022 Readers’ Choice Awards—Top Caribbean Island in the World (St. Kitts received a top spot on the list, showcasing Belle Mont Farm)

              Best Caribbean Beach Port
                Best Caribbean Beach Port

                2022

                Porthole Cruise and Travel Readers’ Choice Awards 2022—The Best Caribbean Beach Port 2022

                 Top 100 Open Water Swimming Event
                  Top 100 Open Water Swimming Event

                  2022

                  2022 WOWSA World Top 100 Open Water Swimming Event – Cross Channel Swim

                  St. Kitts is beginning to realize its vast potential as a destination to delight its visitors, attract investors and mobilize its people to work together in charting the way forward for national development. An investment in St. Kitts is a road map to prosperity.

                  Our Strategic Advantages in Tourism

                  Just a few pointers on why St. Kitts is well positioned in the region for providing a rich visitor experience.

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                  St. Kitts is quite arguably one of the most sought-after tourism destinations in the Caribbean region, with stay over visitor arrival averaging an increase of 13.4 percent over the past five years. This upturn in visitor arrival is expected to continue well into the future with the anticipated completion of the Christophe Harbour, Ocean’s Edge and, Silver Reef Resorts Developments.

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                  The construction of the elegant 636 room St. Kitts Marriot Resort and the 35,000 square foot Royal Beach Casino in 2003 has indeed propelled St. Kitts to the forefront of resort destinations. The realization of the St. Kitts Marriott Resort is attestation of the opportunities for investors to create wealth in the tourism sector. There has also been steady development in our alluring resort area of Frigate Bay. In addition, the Government has designated lands in the Whitegate area (once part of the sugar cane belt) and the La Valley area for low environmental impact tourism development.

                  Many investors, who choose St. Kitts, do so because of its mostly undiscovered and unspoiled landscape, abounding with scenic natural beauty and a vibrant blend of flora and fauna. Investors seeking to court the rich and famous would find St. Kitts to be the ideal utopia. Our people are world-renown for their warm hospitality, having played host to international events such as, ICC Cricket World Cup in 2007. More so, over the years, our people have catered to the needs of thousands of visitors who stop by our shores each year to explore our rich cultural heritage, hike the rainforest, dive on historic wrecks, or just to enjoy our magnificent golden beaches.

                  St. Kitts receives American Airlines non-stop flights from New York and Miami, Delta Airlines non-stop from Atlanta, US Airways from Charlotte and British Airways from Gatwick, London. The island also receives daily connecting service via Puerto Rico on American Eagle and regular daily flights from any Caribbean destination.

                  St. Kitts boast an emerging service oriented labor force. The Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College, a tertiary level educational institution is at the forefront of The Government’s strategy to create a world class service sector. Currently, the college provides training to students, leading to an Associate Degree in Hospitality Management with the opportunity to complete an additional two years at the University of the West Indies for a full Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Management. Additionally, the number of students pursuing studies in tourism and hospitality management at colleges and universities in the USA, Canada and other developed countries has steadily increased over the years.

                  Our Strategic Advantages in Tourism

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